The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-01-07

half century ago the railroad system
was in its infancy, and water trans
portation was but imperfectly develop
ed. The Erie Canal was but narrow
ditch four feet deep, rivers contained
innumerable snags and sand-bars, ocean
steam navigation had but just COM
menced, aud the reaper, thresher and
other kindred agricultural machinery
and implements were unknown.
Wheat was raised in small quantities,
cut with the hand cradle, threshed
with the fail or trodden out by ami
mails, and transported at heavy ex-
pense, if transported at all. The great
west was then an undeveloped wilder
ness.
What now are the facts? The whole
country is network OF railroads,
canals have been multiplied and en-
larged, natural water courses improv-
ed, and ocean steam navigation reduc-
ed almost to perfection, bringing the
markets of the old world and our chief
marts nearer together than the ter
mini of the Erie canal fifty years ago.
The old hand cradle has given way to
the self-binder, the fail to the thresher
and separator. The sgreat west has
been largely developed, the area for
agriculture extended, and millions of
bushels of wheat are raised for export
where hundreds only were produced
before, and Europe furnishes an ever
ready market for all our surplus.
While our own country has been
making such gigantic strides, the old
world, though moving with Il more
moderate pace, has not been idle; her
progress is not to be despised. Our
country does not by any means monop-
olize all the enterprise of the world.
Europe contains network of rail-
roads, and the system mas been extend
ed to far-off Asia. Heretofore the i'm
mense plains of southern Russia, the
country bordering the Black Sea, Tur-
key and Hungary were the principal
granaries of Europe, but these wheat
fields are no longer the great reliance
of the people. The population has in
creased fasters than the wheat area or
the production, and far-off India now
bids fair to become troublesome COM
petitor for thessupremacy in the Eu-
rOpean market, brought about by the
development of a..railroad system pro-
mulgated largely by European enter
prise.
In1S53 the first railroad was laid in
India; in 1885 more than 10000 miles
were in operation, affording transport
tation so low that river navigation
was unable to compete. Previous to
1878 less than half million bushels of
wheat were annually exported, but, not
withstanding failures Of crops and
famines in 1870 and 1880, which oc-
casioned a temporary decline, the ex-
ports in 1885 had increased to 2S,O0O,-
900 bushels, and by far the greater por-
ton of this was shipped to Europe
and India held only the second posi-
ton in rank of all countries exporting
wheat to England, and inferior only
to the United States. An export duty
of s cents per bushel had been remov-
ed which had heretofore operated to
restrict operations, and no obstacle to
free shipments remained. England
understands her own interests Too we'll
to obstruct the importation of food
from her own dominions to the mother
country.
And what are the facilities for
wheat raising in India? The develop
ment of the soil has not kept pace
with the means of transportation or
the improved method of irrigation.
The English government is taking
great interest in this work. It is said
that e30,000,000 have been expended
in this country within a few years
to perfect a system of general irriga-
ton, and 100000 are annually ex-
pended in aid of the work.
Notwithstanding all this, agriculture
is in very primitive state, and the
implements in use are of the most
simple kind. The plow is simply a
pointed share, drawn by the stunted
native oxen, merely scratching the
soil, and seldom penetrating more
than three or four inches, the imple-
ment being so slight as to be carried
home at night and returned again in the
morning on the shoulders of the plow-
man. The grain is cut with short
sickle, transported to the threshing
floor either by hand or on the backs of
their animals, trodden out on the
ground or by beating it against post,
and the chaff blown out by throwing
it up in the wind. Everything is done
in slovenly manner, and fertilizers
are seldom resorted to. Labor is cheap,
the common laborer seldom realizing
more than s to 10 cents day.
If, with all these disadvantages,
India is already second only to the
United States IN the wheat markets of
Europe, with a full or even only a
partial development of resources, her
com natitinn m au well hannnnn u fr,1it